Electric flash light



April 17, 1934. J. MUROS ELECTRIC FLASH LIGHT Filed Dec. 21., 1931 Fig.3.

i atented Apr. 17, 1934 PATENT FFICE,

11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in electric flashlights andconsists in certain novel features of construction whereby the life,efficiency and reliability of the flashlight is improved and the user issafeguarded against inadvertently using batteries of unauthorizedmanufacture which may be of imperfect and inferior construction.

The features of mechanical improvement consist in providing a pluralityof yielding contact *3 points between the battery and the lamp bulb andin so arranging these that the flow of current will not be interruptedand the light fail when the flashlight is suddenly moved or dropped.This construction presents the further advantage of cushioning, and thussafeguarding, the light bulb from the direct ii pact of the battery incase the flashlight is dropped or brought into contact with anobstruction of any kind. It also improves the reliability or the contactin that failure of one or more contact points does not break the circuitto the light bulb.

In the construction herein shown, the construction of the contact pointsand of the battery is designed with a view to aligning the batteryaccurately within the flashlight casing and also preventing shiftingmovement therein, which is objectionable from the standpoint ofdestructive wear and also in that it tends to impair the efficiency ofthe electric circuit supplying the lamp 130 bulb.

ihe mechanical features of advantage above discussed are important andvaluable in themselves but I have taken advantage of them also toprovide a flashlight in which batteries having only th characteristicconstruction of the flashlight manufacturer may be used and in whichbatteries of the commercial construction heretofore available will notserve. This feature is extremely important and eliminates a seriousproblem which has confronted all manufacturers of high-grade electricflashlights for many years. The replaceable batteries offered to thepublic for use in electric flashlights cannot be distinguished one fromanother by the closest examination of exterior appearance. The result isthat a large number of batteries thus offered to the public aremanufacturered with little or no regard to the service expected of them.Cheap and inferior materials are employed in their construction and inservice they cannot be relied upon for more than a few hourssatisfactory output. The most discriminating purchaser of an electricflashlight is, therefore, likely to be caught by replacement batteriesor bootleg batteries, as they are termed in the trade, which may leavehim in the dark at a critical moment. My invention solves thistroublesome and continuing problem, in that it provides an electricflashlight construction adapted for use only in connection with abattery of superior and characteristic. shape and construction. It alsooffers an expedient for identifying special purpose cells and insuringtheir use with appliances for which, by their construction, they areparticularly adapted and intended. In one aspect my invention comprisesa flashlight cell provided with a contact surface in one end of annularshape either in the form of a complete annulus or in the form ofprojections or segments arranged in a generally circular design. Such abattery is adapted for use in an electric flashlight having cooperatingcontact points arranged to engage the annular contact surfaces of thebattery at points offset or out of line with the longitudinal aids ofthe battery. In another aspect my invention comprises the combination ofa flashlight casing having such contact points with a battery of thecharacter described.

These and other features of the invention will be best understood andappreciated from the following description of a preferred embodimentthereof, selected for purposes of illustration and shown in theaccompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a view of an electricflashlight in longitudinal section;

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of one end of a battery and thecorresponding elements of the flashlight casing; and

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of one end of a battery of alternativeconstruction.

The casing of the flashlight comprises a cylindrical shell 10 which maybe of metal or molded plastic material and which is exteriorly threadedat either end. A flanged cap or ring 11 is threaded upon one end of thecasing 10 and serves to retain in place the lens 12 through the mediumof a rubber ring or gasket. As herein shown, the flange of the cap 11engages the margin of the lens 12 and also the margin of a reflector 13between itself and the end wall of the casing 10, thus holding thempermanently in place therein. The reflector 13 is provided with athreaded stem 14 within which is received the shank of the light bulb15, which is thus positioned at the proper time with respect to thefocus of the reflector and lens. The elements above described may be ofany desired construction and form no part of the present invention.

The threaded stem 14 of the reflector receives and supports the tubularstem 17 of a metal disk 16 which serves as a carrier for an insulatingdisk 18 of slightly less diameter than the interior diameter of thecasing 10 and centrally recessed to permit access to the inner end ofthe stem of the light bulb which carries one of the terminal points ofthe bulb.

A metallic contact member 19, comprising in its appearance a shortpartially closed cylinder, is permanently secured to the metal disk 16by rivets which pass through the insulating disk 18 and are headed upona flangedinsulating disk 21 which is contained within the cylindricalcontact member 19, as will presently be explained.

The rivet holes in the disk of the contact member 19 afford clearancefor the rivets so that this member is not in electrical contact with thedisk 16 but is arranged to bear directly upon the terminal point of thestem of the light bulb 15. In its outside diameter the con-tactmember 19'corresponds substantially to that of the insulating disk 18, that is tosay, a clearance space is afforded between it-and the inner wall of theeasing or shell-10. The rear head'of the contact member19 comprises aplurality of radially-disposed, inwardly-projecting arms 20 havinginwardly converging edges and being of resilient character so that theymay yield in the direction of the axis of the flashlight. The flangedinsulating disk- 21 is placed within the contact member 19'b'efore thespring arms 20 are turned inwardly. The assembled relation of theseparts is best shown-in Fig. 2, from which it will be apparentth'at'the'insulating disk 21 is provided with an upstanding peripheralflange 22 which lies againstthe outer wall of the contact member 19and-with a centrally disposed upstanding annular flange 23 whichprotrudes outwardly be tween-the ends of the yielding arms 20 withsum'cient clearance to permit free movement thereof. In their normalposition the yielding arms 20- lie in a plane substantially at rightangles to the axis of the flashlight and in use they are deflectedinwardly, as shown in Fig. 1, by engagement-with the contact surface ofthe battery, as will now be explained.

I'haveshown in Figs. 1 and 2 one form of battery adapted for use in aflashlight of the construction thusfar described. Each battery 24encloses filling material of the usual type, in

which is embedded a carbon rod 28 constituting the positiveelement ofthe battery and sealed therein byawax-cover disk 27. Secured upon theend of the rod 28 is a-flanged metallic cap 25. Thisis shaped to coverand be secured upon the end of the rod 28 and includes an upstanding 1annular ring 26 spaced concentrically from the body of'the cap 25. Thecap itself is sealed in the cover disk 27 so that the end of the batterypresents only a projecting circular cap surrounded by a spacedconcentric ring 26. The cap 25 is of such diameter as to be receivedfreely within theannular flange 23 of the insulating disk 21 and theflange 26 of the battery is of such diameter as to receivetelescopically the flange 23. In other words, the'three circular members25, 23 and'26' are concentrically arranged and adapted to telescopewithin each other, as shown in Fig. 1, and when assembled in suchrelation theend surface of the contact ring 26 of the batteryengages theinner ends of the spring contact'arms 20 of the contact member 19, thusestablishing a plurality of contact points between the battery andthecontact member 19 through which current flows to the light bulb. Itwill be apparentthat on account of the yielding nature of the individualcontact arms 20 the contact of each arm with the battery isindependently maintained and that contact will be established at thesepoints regardless of irregularities in the contour of the flange 26. Itwill be further noted that the contact arms 20 terminate in a circleconcentric with the axis of the flashlight but spaced so as to beentirely out of range of the contact cap of any commercial batteryheretofore available. A 'flller disk 29 'of insulating material may besecured in the flanged insulating disk 21. within the flange 23, ifdesired, where it will be engaged by the cap 25 of the battery and sodetermine the endwise position of the battery inits casing;

The rear end of the flashlight is constructed in usual manner, having acap 28 threaded thereon and provided internally with an insulating disk32 and a boss through which is threaded a contact screw 31. Acompression spring 30 is interposed between the cap 23 and the bottom ofthebattery 2 and contact is made or broken by-manipulatingthe screw 31to engage or disengage the zinc-bottom of the battery, which constitutesits negative contact point.

In Fig. 3 Ihave disclosed an alternative form of battery 34, in whichthe positive contact cap 35 is supplemented by projecting segments 36ratherthan a complete ring of the character above described. Thesegments 36 are arranged in circular or annular design and sealed withinthe cover disk of the battery. Each segment is ofsuflicientcircumferential length to engage one of the contact arms 20 ofthe contact member 19 in whatever angle of position the battery may bepresented and thus three independent contacts are established benveenthe battery and the member 19.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the interlockingrelation of the various annular members of the combination accuratelyand effectively center the battery in the shell or casing 10 of theflashlight and in respect to those members which are carried by thereflector 13. Looseness and displacement of the parts is thus preventedand they are compactly retained in the most'advantageous position in theflashlight;

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by-Letters Patentis:

1. An electric flashlight comprising a casing containing a light bulbhaving'a centrally disposed end terminal, a battery with a projectingcap and a battery terminal offset with respect to the cap, an interposeddisk havinga projecting ring for receiving and centering the battery byengaging said cap and holding it in spaced relation from saidlightbulbterminal, and conductive members separate from and spaced outside thecap for connecting the light bulb and battery terminals.

2. An electric flashlight comprising a casing containing a light bulbhaving an end terminal,

a battery with an annular terminal within the periphery of its end face,and an interposed memberin electrical contact'with the light bulbterminal and having conductive arms extending inwardly to engage theannular battery terminal at a-plurality of points spaced'from the axisof the battery.

3. An 'electric'flashlight comprising acasing containing a light bulbhaving an end terminal, abattery with acap and a'projecting terminalconcentrically spaced from the cap withinthe periphery" of the end faceof the battery, an interposed member having an insulating projection forengaging and centering the battery by engaging its cap, and a conductivemember in electrical contact with said battery terminal having radiallyextending projections which overlap the terminal surface of the battery.

4. An electric flashlight comprising a casing containing a light bulbhaving a terminal, a battery having a projecting terminal ring in itsend face, and interposed elements including an insulating member locatedin line with the axis of the battery and a conductive member having armswhich extend inwardly to overlap the ring while leaving its centerclear.

5. An electric flashlight comprising a casing containing a light bulbhaving an end terminal, a battery having a projecting terminal ringwithin the periphery of its end face, an interposed insulating elementarranged to fit within said ring and a conductive member in electricalcontact with the light bulb terminal and having contact arms extendinginwardly to make contact with said ring.

6. An electric flashlight comprising a casing containing a, light bulbhaving a centrally disposed end terminal, a battery having a terminal inits end face located out of line with its axis, and interposed elementsincluding an insulating stop for the battery, and a conductive member inelectrical contact with said light bulb terminal having a contact armarranged to engage the terminal of the battery.

'7. An electric flashlight comprising a casing containing a light bulbhaving an end terminal, a battery having an annular terminal disposedwithin the periphery of its end face, a cylindrical metallic contactmember engaging said bulb terminal and having a series of yieldingradially extending arms for engaging said annular terminal of thebattery, and an insulating disk secured inclosing a battery having aring-shaped terminal disposed within the periphery of its end face,

spacing elements interposed between the bulb and the battery to preventdirect engagement there-1 of, and a contact member in electrical contactwith the light bulb terminal, and including a series of yieldingmetallic arms extending in position to engage the ring-shaped terminalof the battery.

9. An electric flashlight comprising a casing having a light bulb withan end terminal and inclosing a battery having a ring-shaped terminal ofspaced segments disposed within the periphery of its end face, andspacing elements interposed between the bulb and the battery to preventengagement thereof and including a member in electrical contact withsaid light bulb terminal having a series of yielding metallic armsextending into position to engage the spaced segments of the batteryterminal regardless of the angular position of the battery in theflashlight.

10. An electric flashlight comprising a tubular casing, a bulb supportedin one end thereof and having an end terminal, a conducting plate incontact with the end terminal of the bulb, means supporting the platewithin but out of contact with the casing, a battery within the casingand having an annular terminal within the periphery of its end faceprojecting toward the bulb, and resilient means carried by the plate andextending radially in the casing for engaging with said batteryterminal.

11. An electric flashlight comprising a tubular casing, a bulb supportedin one end thereof and having an end terminal, a conducting plate incontact with the terminal of the bulb, and having a rearwardly extendingflange at its periphery, means supporting the plate Within but out ofcontact with the casing, a battery within the casing and having oneterminal thereof projecting outwardly therefrom toward the bulb,cooperating elements disposed at the longitudinal axis of the batteryand carried by the battery and said means for centering the batterywithin the casing, and resilient arms carried by the plate and extendingradially inward from said flange for engaging with said batteryterminal.

JOSEPH MUROS.

